SCRAPS: Rachna Dheer

In this episode of Scraps we are joined by Babu Bombay Street Kitchen owner & head chef, Rachna Dheer. Rachna shows us how to cook Veg Peel Bhajias & Bread Pakora with Spiced Ketchup.

Glasgow Science Centre’s Scraps campaign aims to highlight food waste as an issue relevant to climate change that anyone can engage with at home and empower the viewer to get creative in the kitchen

Working with Zero Waste Scotland’s ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ campaign and some of Scotland’s most exciting and talented chefs, we are showcasing fun, quick and simple methods to reduce food waste at home.

Scraps encourages people to love the food they buy and this includes tips for better food storage, meal planning and preparation tips that show love to your leftovers.

Show us your meals by tagging #OurWorldOurImpact

You can find the recipe card for these dishes below.

Keep your eyes peeled for more Scraps videos coming soon on the Our World Our Impact Hub.

For more information on Babu Bombay Street Kitchen visit http://www.babu-kitchen.com/

Recipe Cards

You can find the ingredients list and the method below, please click to expand.

Veg Peel Bhajia & Spiced Ketchup

Ingredients 

For the Bhajia  

  • Potato peel 

  • Courgette peel 

  • Carrot peel 

  • Gram flour  

  • Vegetable oil 

  • Sea salt 

  • Hot chilli powder 

  • Ground coriander 

  • Ground turmeric 

  • Water 

For the Spiced Ketchup 

  • 5 tbsp tomato ketchup  

  • 2 tsp malt vinegar 

  • ½ tsp chilli powder  

Method 

  • This recipe is all about improvisation, it can make as many or as little as you like depending on how many leftover peelings you have to use up. Get used to measuring with your eyes and if you make too much the batter and bahjia mix can be frozen and stored for up to one month.  
  • Cut thick peels of your vegetables and set aside while you prepare the batter.  
  • Make the batter by combining equal parts gram flour and cold water in a large bowl. For example, if you add 100g of gram flour add 100ml of cold water. Keep adding flour and water until you have enough batter to coat your peelings and it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 
  • Mix in your spices: 1 tsp of hot chilli powder, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp of ground turmeric and a generous pinch of salt. Add any other aromatic ingredients like finely chopped garlic or coriander and mix until evenly dispersed throughout.  
  • Mix the vegetable peels into the batter until they are completely covered. 
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan, it will be hot enough to fry once it reaches 190 degrees or a small piece of batter dropped in the oil bubbles vigorously. 
  • Combine 5 tbsp ketchup, 2 tsp vinegar, and ½ tsp chilli powder in a small bowl as a dipping sauce. 
  • Serve the sauce with the bhajia and enjoy! 

Bread Pakora

Ingredients 

  • 4 slices of stale bread 

  • Leftover mashed potato  

  • A handful of fresh coriander 

  • 2cm piece of ginger 

  • 1-2 Green chillies 

  • Vegetable oil 

  • Water 

  • Sea salt 

Method 

  • Dice the ginger and chilli and mix into the mashed potato with finely chopped coriander. Adding a small amount at first and tasting as you go. Season generously with salt.  
  • Soften the stale bread by dipping the edges of the slice in cold water. This will make it easier to shape into pakora.  
  • Using your fist, flatten the centre of the bread to create a pocket for the pakora filling. Scoop in the mashed potato and roll the bread until your form the pakora, pinching at the crusts to seal.  
  • Heat the oil in a deep pan until it reaches 190 degrees. 
  • Gently release the bread pakora into the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp. 
  • Serve the pakora with chutney or the spiced ketchup from Rachna’s Peel Bhajias recipe! 
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